1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a fastening assembly and, more particularly, to a fastening assembly co-molded with a foam article.
2. Description of Related Art
The conventional hook-and-loop fastener was invented by George de Mestral, a Swiss engineer, under the inspiration of burrs. The hook-and-loop fastener consists of a hook side woven with tiny hooks and a loop side covered with even smaller and finer loop-like fastening structures. When the hook side and the loop side are pressed together, the hooks on the hook side are caught in the loop-like fastening structures on the loop side so that the two sides are fastened together.
In recent years, the hook-and-loop fastener, which is easily assembled and detached, is often coupled and used with other articles. When a hook-and-loop fastener is applied to a foam article such as a seat cushion, a buffer pad, and so on, the hook-and-loop fastener is bonded to the foam article with the hooks of the hook-and-loop fastener facing outward so as to fasten with another article having a corresponding loop side. Typically, a seat cushion with a hook-and-loop fastener is manufactured by placing the hook-and-loop fastener at a predetermined location in a mold and introducing a foam material into the mold. The foam material is co-molded with the hook-and-loop fastener and, when completely set, takes on the shape defined by the mold.
However, while the foam material expands, the expanding foam material generates a pushing force in all directions. If the hook-and-loop fastener is not securely positioned at the predetermined location in the mold, the pushing force generated during the foaming process tends to push the hook-and-loop fastener away from the predetermined location so that the foam article thus formed becomes defective, with the hook-and-loop fastener displaced. A traditional solution, as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,348,252, is to equip the mold with a magnet in advance and provide a layer of magnetic material on a base of the hook-and-loop fastener, whereby the hook-and-loop fastener is attracted and attached to the mold by magnetic force. However, if the magnetic material is provided only on the base of the hook-and-loop fastener, the magnetic force produced is sufficient so that the hook-and-loop fastener is still likely to be shifted away from the predetermined location.